


Vibe, I Broke The Timeline

by MoonlightShines (Thatkillervibe), painted_in_ink



Series: Killervibe Week 2019 [2]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, Day 2, Episode: s05e14 Cause and XS, F/M, Killervibe Week 2019, Season5fixit, The Flash (TV 2014) Season 5, accidental fix it fic?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 09:21:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20423600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatkillervibe/pseuds/MoonlightShines, https://archiveofourown.org/users/painted_in_ink/pseuds/painted_in_ink
Summary: Cisco frowned. Something about this date with Kamilla just didn't sit right.





	Vibe, I Broke The Timeline

**Author's Note:**

> So...This fic gets complicated. I started it in March, before the episode even aired. And then abandoned it. Cue today, me freaking out and calling Paint to come rescue me. This fic would be in shambles without her. 
> 
> See warnings at the end.

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m—“ 

~.~ 

Something’s not right. 

Something’s not right. 

Something’s not right.

Something’s not right. 

_ What? _

~.~ 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

Cisco jogged to the nice table where his date sat with a bottle of white wine in a pretty purple dress. He had changed the location of the restaurant last minute, securing a table at the coveted French restaurant _ Les Richelieux, _when his other reservation mysteriously disappeared at _ Fleming's. __Les Richelieux _ nearly burnt to the ground last month, but luckily owed Star Labs (Team Flash) a favour. 

“That’s okay. I just got here.” 

This wasn’t where he had originally wanted to go with Kamilla for a first date, but Ralph’s file on her mentioned that one of her past boyfriend’s was a food critic. Jitters wouldn’t have made the cut. 

Cisco sat down and complemented Kamilla’s hair. They both reached for the wine bottle at the same time while they waited for their waiter to bring their menus. 

The bottle was stuck. They both glanced up at each other, startled. Kamilla tugged, her nails sliding against the cold condensation. 

He stood up and yanked, the tablecloth coming up with it, and Kamilla held down the glasses and jostled napkin holder from crashing. 

Cisco looked down into the bottle to find solid ice Riesling. He swallowed down his dread. 

“Was this here when you got here?” 

Kamilla nodded. “They said it was...a gift?” 

A gift. 

“Who gifted it?” he asked gently, sitting back down. 

“I don’t know.” 

Cisco did. 

~.~ 

Cisco’s suspicions were confirmed halfway through dinner, after Kamilla asked him about his ex-girlfriend, which surprised him plenty considering Cynthia was nineteen Earths away. He looked around, paranoid that this was going to end up being Lisa Snart 2.0. 

“...How do you know Cynthia?” 

Kamilla laughed awkwardly at the confusion. She tucked a short strand of her black hair behind her ear. She was cute, but also a little stiff. “Cynthia? No.”

Cisco frowned. “...Kendra?”

“....Noo,” Kamilla said, slowly. 

Cisco was starting to panic, thinking this really _ was _ going to end up with a surprise visit from Lisa. 

Kamilla studied him, making a funny face. “I meant Khione.”

“Khione?” Cisco echoed, fumbling with his fork. 

  
“Platinum hair. Interesting voice. Is that not her name?”

He picked up his fork again and cut into the chicken a little too forcefully, “Oh yes,” he replied, a beat too slow, and gave Kamilla a tight smile. “That’s her name.” 

~.~

Cisco didn’t know how Killer Frost managed to sabotage his date so elaborately without stepping a foot outside Star Labs or her apartment. He guessed it didn’t matter. It worked. Cisco drove Kamilla home, and even that was uncomfortable. Not the drop off, although that was too, but driving the car. It had been over a year since Cisco had to use a vehicle in Central City to get somewhere, and his shoulders tensed at every red light, realizing he was no longer at ease behind the wheel. 

When it was over, he knew that Killer Frost had somehow frightened Kamilla and even if she hadn’t, the date went sideways anyhow. 

Kamilla thought they’d be better as friends.

Cisco didn’t care about that. Not that much. It wasn’t about Kamilla, even if she didn’t deserve to be put in the crossfire of whatever war Frost was raging on him, and he probably _ should’ve _cared on her behalf. But it wasn’t about Kamilla. He wasn’t going to miss her or be heartbroken about could’ve beens. 

Still, his fists were shaking by his side when he got home. He threw his car keys on the ground and found himself suddenly traveling through a dimension to knock on Caitlin’s front door, furious. 

~.~

She wasn’t answering the buzzer. 

“Caitlin,” he shouted, banging on the door. “I know you’re in there. We need to talk. _ Now_.” 

Nothing.

“I’m coming in. You better be decent.” 

Cisco counted to thirty then breached. He landed right into her empty living room.

He squinted up at the ceiling. The water pipes were running. 

“Caitlin!” 

“Cisco?” Caitlin’s bathroom swung open, and she emerged from down the hall through a billow of steam. She looked equally murderous as horrified. “What are you _doing _here? I was in the shower! _Get out,_” she hollered from down the hall.

Cisco stammered and began shielding his eyes, which he came to realize was ridiculous as she was fully covered by her fluffy robe. “We have to talk.” He watched her hair drip conditioner onto her wooden flooring. 

Her gaze was cool and distant. “Fine,” she allowed after swallowing. “But I’m finishing my shower first.”

Neither said a word and they both went in opposite directions. Cisco crossed his arms over his leather jacket on her couch and waited. 

~.~ 

The water wasn’t as hot as it was before. Temperature did not make much of an impact on her body anymore, and yet she was shuddering as it poured down her back. Caitlin wiped her tears away with the same cloth she used to block her eyes from the suds rinsing out of her hair, and she refused to think of Cisco sitting on her couch waiting for her to be done. 

She looked at her reflection in the mirror after getting dressed in sweatpants and her star labs crewneck and forced herself to put on her brave face. She sighed heavily through her nose. 

“Frost, you really screwed me over this time,” she hissed, then proceeded to ignore the voice arguing in the back of her head. 

~.~

Cisco tried to remain calm, he really did, but it became evident by Caitlin’s stance once she re-appeared that she was prepared to fight and he was still fuming. 

She looked him up and down. “You look nice,” she sniffed, and somehow Cisco took that as an insult. 

He stood up and gestured at his outfit, pacing the room. 

“Yeah, I cleaned up. I wonder why. It’s not like I had plans tonight, right?”

Caitlin fidgeted with the sleeves of her sweatshirt, pulling her hands inside so that they were hidden. “Cisco—“ She began, then stopped. “Maybe you want to talk to Frost.”

“No!” he exclaimed, stepping closer. “No, I don’t want to talk to Killer Frost, oh—wait no, sorry—It’s _ Khione, _now isn’t it?”

She flinched. 

“Caitlin, what the _ hell._” 

“It wasn’t _ me,” _Caitlin said meekly. “I told her not to. You know we don’t always agree! And when she gets something in her head she won’t _ stop_.” 

She retreated, bumping against the edge of her couch, making space between them. 

Cisco wasn’t taking this bullshit. He stepped closer. “You could’ve tried harder. You could’ve warned me. How long has she been planning this?”

Her silence was the answer. 

“Caitlin. Why did Killer Frost do that?”

“I don’t know!” she burst out angrily.

  
“The hell you don’t! _ I _ was the one who gave you the damn activity dampener in the first place so you could talk to her! _ I _ was the one who studied the footage of DeVoe on a consecutive loop to try and help you bring her back. What have I _ ever _done that was not to help you two? I am always on your side. Since when are you not on mine?” 

Caitlin sat down. “You’re_ always _ on my side?” she repeated, cooly. “Are you sure?”

He stopped and spun on his heel. “Excuse me?” 

Cisco thought she’d balk and backtrack. Spin her spiel. The one she’d been putting on a loop for the last two years._ Guys, she isn’t me. I can’t control her. Oh Cisco, it’s not my fault. It’s not me. It’s her. She’s not me. It’s her. We only have the same face and the same brain, same body. It’s not like we’re not the same person, you know. _

But that’s not what she’s saying. 

“You’re supposed to be doing this cure _ with _me. I thought we were doing this together, but you’re not even here anymore and now you’re off with other girls.”

Cisco narrowed his eyes. “_Other _ girls? I was on a _ date. _Frost sabotaged my date. And you _ let _her.”

“It’s like you want to get rid of me!” she snapped furiously. 

It went silent.

“What?”

Caitlin set her jaw straight and looked ahead. “You’re going to take the cure and turn your back on all of us. Especially me.” 

Cisco took a cautionary step forward. “What do you mean, especially_ you? _”

Caitlin blinked back tears. “Cisco, you have been my family before I ever knew I had Frost. And it’s like one day, after I got her back, you woke up and decided I wasn’t good enough for you anymore.” 

She stood up then, shying away from Cisco when he tried to reach for her. “You know what. This is fine. Come here and blame me for something I didn’t do while you were just out trying to be someone you’re not. It’s not like I haven’t been in Star Labs all day making your damn one-way train ticket out of here.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I’m close to figuring out this cure so you can be normal and have a normal life with your normal girlfriend and your normal family. Damn all else, right?”

Cisco could barely keep up with all of the poison Caitlin was spitting out. 

“That is _ not _ fair. Caitlin—” 

She stuck her hand out and cut him off, not even looking him in the face. 

“It’s late and I’m tired. It was rude of you to just barge in here like that. Enjoy your next date with Kamilla. Lock the door on your way out.”

She turned down the hall and into the bedroom. 

  
Her door shut with a definitive click, then in a loud, not muffled at all yell, “Don’t ever breach into my apartment like that again!” 

~.~ 

Cisco stood there, feeling as if he were just doused in a cold shower. 

The distance was arbitrary. If he wanted to, Cisco could easily use his powers to bypass her door. 

Cisco looked at his hands. At the power in them. 

But she locked the door. Loudly. She cut him off and she screamed in a way he’s never heard. Not from her. Not when he knew it was from her. She had _ never _ done that before. 

Somehow this was a thousand times worse than the horrible night he already thought he had.

His face crumpled as all his anger fell away, leaving him empty like a shell. 

She told him to leave. 

Cisco wasn’t going to leave. 

He sat on her couch, crossing his arms. She’d come back out when she was ready. She always did. 

They weren’t done this conversation. Caitlin had to explain herself. He didn’t understand half of what was just said, and like hell was he going to just walk away and not pretend like Caitlin didn't admit what he thought she did, in that very confusing screaming way. 

Because Caitlin just uttered a whole lot of crap but the one thing that wasn’t. 

Was. 

Is…? 

~.~

Caitlin sobbed into her pillow as Killer Frost said, “He’s not worth your precious tears.” 

“You shut the hell up!” she screamed in the middle of her bedroom, all alone, then sobbed harder. 

~.~

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.” 

~.~ 

“Kamilla, hey. Sorry I’m late,” Cisco said, jogging up to Kamilla at their table in Jitters. He tapped her shoulder as he passes her by. 

She smiled up at him. “That’s okay. I just got here.” 

The barista gave him a cup of coffee which he took appreciatively. 

“So you’re a scientist, right?” Kamilla asked, settling into her seat. 

“So, well, I’m more of a tech nerd, actually,” he found himself replying. 

Caitlin’s the scientist. He’s an engineer. Why didn’t he just say he’s a damn engineer? He’s got the honours degree, the masters, pictures in the cap and gown and everything. 

Cisco chuckled at himself, how easy he was to self-deprecate. Why was he doing this anyway? He looked down at his white V neck and jeans he’d swiped from Barry’s closet. This wasn’t his style. 

What was this, the tenth time he’s tried something different today? 

At least it was better than the social media influencer outfit. 

Wait. 

What?

“...Are you okay?” Kamilla said. 

~.~ 

Cisco’s heart drops to the floor with Frost as she crumples to the ground. 

_ “Caitlin!” _

Cicada’s jagged dagger is bloody, and the scream that tears from Caitlin’s throat as he yanked it out of her back is inhumane. Cisco almost vomits.

He’s on the floor with her as the silvery hair turns brown, and Caitlin’s eyes roll up in the back of her head. 

_ “No.” _ Cisco cups her face as her head lolls to the side. “No. Caitlin stop, this isn’t funny. Caitlin, no. Stop this. Wake up, damn it. Wake up. _ Wake up!” _

Ralph drops to his knees beside them. “Where’s Nora?” he panics. “Where’s XS? Where did she go?” 

Cisco drowns out Ralph’s voice as Caitlin dies in his arms. “You’re going to be okay,” he says. “I promise. The regenerative healing will work soon. Caitlin, I promise. Please don’t go—“ 

~.~ 

Something’s not right. 

Something’s not right. 

Something’s not right.

Something’s not right. 

Cisco’s vision blurs as he sees double, he holds his head as it pounds through his skull. He hears his voice say the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and—

_ What? _

_ ~.~ _

“—Okay?” 

Cisco blinked. 

Kamilla blinked.

She smiled awkwardly. “I think you spaced out there for a minute.” 

“I…” Cisco’s mouth was dry. “I’m sorry. I have to go.” 

~.~ 

Cisco makes it just in time to see Ralph die. 

~.~ 

“Kamilla, hey. Sorry I’m late,” Cisco said, jogging to the table at Jitters. 

“That’s okay. I just got here.” 

“Awesome,” Cisco smiled, relieved. “How about I get us two flash decafs?” 

“Wow. That’s my usual order.” 

“Funny.” Cisco shrugged. “I had a feeling.” 

“So you’re a scientist, right?” Kamilla asked, once they got their coffee. 

Cisco smiled. “My best friend is the scientist, I’m her mechanical engineer. We work at Star Labs.” 

Kamilla rose an eyebrow. “Star Labs. You mean the place that blew up and created the monsters?” 

Cisco’s smile fell off his face. “Uh.” 

“I’m sorry,” she said. “That’s your place of work. I was being rude. I just—I don’t see how an institution that created so much damage has the legal grounds to remain up and running. People died that night.” 

“I know,” Cisco said tersely. “I was there. None of the employees had any idea that Thaw—Harrison Wells was going to do that. We were just as in the dark.” His fingers curled against his mug. 

“Oh,” Kamilla said. She blew her side bang out of her eyes. 

“...You have a problem with metahumans?” Cisco asked, trying to sound casual. 

“No. Not exactly.” 

Cisco took a sip of the decaf. “Explain.” 

“I like the heroes, you know.” She tipped her Flash decaf in the air. “The Flash, Vibe. The ones doing the right thing! Not as much a fan of that scary ice chick though, she seems kinda shady—” 

“No, she’s not,” Cisco said, making a face. 

Kamilla raised an eyebrow. “You know her?” 

“No!” Cisco spluttered. “No, I just. I know she’s not a bad guy. The Flash wouldn’t work with her if she were.” 

Kamilla giggled. “Oh my god. You like her. Do you have a crush on Killer Ice?” 

“Killer Frost,” Cisco corrected automatically, only to be met with Kamilla’s cheeky grin. Whoops. 

“Uh huh,” Kamilla teased. “All I’m saying is, when you stack up the number of metahumans who’ve abused their powers, they quadruple the ones who don’t. So overall, no, I don’t think metahumans are that stellar in this city.”

Cisco opened his mouth to argue. “While I don’t agree with you, Killer Frost is—”

“Is what? What’s so cool about her? Maybe you can convince me.” 

Cisco wasn’t sure if talking about his best friends’ secret identities was the wisest first date topic, but it was certainly an ice breaker. 

Cisco smirked, remembering the first time he made a Killer Frost pun to Caitlin. At her shocked face, then petulant scowl of disapproval. The way an exasperated yet fond smile threatened to quirk up the sides of her mouth. 

He took another sip of his coffee, sighing. “She’s crazy smart and resourceful,” he began, putting down his mug. “She’s the first person to be calm and easily walk into danger, no matter what it is. She’ll help anyone in a heartbeat, without a second of hesitation, she’ll just go.” 

“Really?” She said, seemingly surprised. He took Kamilla’s intrigue as a cue to keep going, and it wasn’t like that was hard to do. 

“And she’s kind. She’s _ so _kind,” Cisco continued, laughing softly at a memory. “She’ll just give you this look, you know. This smile that brightens your day. And it doesn’t matter how screwed, how ridiculously out of depth you are, how ill-prepared for a fight. How tough things get. Just having her next to you somehow makes it worth it.” 

Kamilla stared at him from across the table, stunned still. 

Cisco swallowed. Realizing. 

“...That doesn’t sound like her,” Kamilla said carefully. 

She was right. That wasn’t Killer Frost. 

That was Caitlin. 

Cisco stood up abruptly. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go.” 

Kamilla didn’t seem all too surprised. “Right now?” 

The Jitters barista scoffed. “The men in this city,” she complained to her coworker. 

The other one scrubbed the next table, shooting a sympathetic glance with Kamilla.

“Tell me about it.” 

~.~ 

Cisco stood outside the brick wall of Jitters, pressing the palms of his hands to his eyelids and groaned. _ Why _was he on a date with Kamilla when he was in love with Caitlin? 

~.~ 

“Sorry I’m late.”

“Sorry I’m late.”

“Sorry I’m late.” 

“Sorry I’m late.”

Cisco’s vision blurs as he sees double, he holds his head as it pounds against his skull. He hears his voice say the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and—

_ What? _

~.~

“Oh God, not the book of Ralph,” Cisco moaned. 

“Again?” Nora cried. 

Ralph winked at Cisco. “Yeah, buddy. You have successfully completed the 27 steps to get over the love of your life. Gyspy is in the past. You have a new siren. So now it’s time for the art of love.” 

Cisco spun on his heel, desperate for an escape from this madness. He turned to his savior. The best friend. His last hope. 

Cisco clasped his hands together and stuck his lower lip out to cajole the lady. 

“Um, Caitlin?” 

Something was telling him she was going to shrug all antsy and make up some lame excuse like “_ Oh Cisco, I know how much this means to you, but you see, at this exact moment in time, I must leave you to finish making the device for the cure so you’re all alone with Ralph Dibny and his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad dating advice!” _

“Ralph,” she said. “Cisco doesn’t need that for his date.” 

“He doesn’t?” said Sherloque.

“He doesn’t!?!” Nora shrieked. 

Cisco was pleasantly surprised. He breathed out in relief, blowing her a kiss. _ “Thank you.” _

Caitlin blushed, looking down at her lap quickly. 

Ralph pouted, clutching his book to his chest. “You won’t even give me a chance?!”

“It’s fine!” Nora said quickly. Cisco forgot she was still there as she ushered Ralph out the hall. “It’s totally fine, why don’t we play Uno in the lounge while Caitlin helps Cisco with his date. Mom! You too! Let’s bond!” 

Nora shot Cisco some secret look over her shoulder. One he didn’t understand even a little bit. 

“Sooooo…” Cisco said, walking over to Caitlin’s monitor. 

“So..?” she echoed back, raising an eyebrow. 

Cisco held out his arms. “I need your expertise. Should I keep this on or breach back to my place for my leather jacket?” 

“The leather jacket,” Caitlin said immediately. “It’s a classic on you. No girl could resist.” 

Cisco leaned his elbow against the computer, chin in his hand. “Yeah?” 

“I think so.” 

“...Really?” 

She rolled her eyes and smiled, shooing him away. _ “Go.” _

He turned to breach to his apartment, but turned around impulsively at the doorway, rubbing his hands at the back of his neck. “...When you said you ‘thought so’—” 

Caitlin’s brown eyes went blue as Frost appeared in her place, snapping her fingers at him to skedadel. _ “Are you dense? She says she thinks you look hot in leather. Just take the damn compliment, Vibe, and go!” _

Cisco jumped at her sharp tone, and listened to her command, only turning his head back to glance at Frost’s sudden appearance one last time before stepping through his portal. 

_ ~.~ _

“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Cisco said after he walked in, heading to the table where Kamilla waited at Jitters. 

“That’s okay. I just got here.”

_ ~.~ _

The hangers in Cisco’s closet screeched as he sorted through his clothes. He had nothing to wear. 

To be honest, he knew it was an absolutely terrible idea to dress up as a ranch hand. He didn’t own a pair of overalls, or have his own cowboy boots. And he’d doubt a belt buckle would help improve his look. But Ralph gave him a heap of clothes that he had laying around from his last square dance. And Kamilla’s ex-boyfriend ran Central City’s ranching rodeo. 

Cisco sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Ralph was in his head. 

_ “The types of guys that she's into? You are nothing like them, but, hey, if you don't wanna get a second date, be my guest. Just don't come crying to me when everything inevitably goes horribly, horribly wrong and you die alone.” _

Cisco shucked off his shirt, grumbling. He picked up Ralph’s junk, his book, and grabbed a handful of hangers from his own closet in the other hand. Caitlin would know what to do. 

He kicked a breach open with his socked foot, since his hands were occupied, and jumped into Caitlin’s apartment. 

“Which of these screams, ‘I love to spend my days making hay?’” he asked, already dumping his pile onto her bed. 

Caitlin startled, turning from her vanity mirror where she was apparently wiping off her makeup. She eyeballed his stuff, but then her eyes widened, taking in his appearance. 

Cisco looked down. Oh yes. He forgot to put on that other shirt. 

  
“What are you doing!?” 

Cisco belatedly wondered how he knew she’d be here. He thought that she was making the device to inject the cure. 

“Aren’t you supposed to be in your lab?” he questioned casually. He rolled his eyes at his current attire. “I'm getting dressed.” 

Caitlin stiffened in her seat, her voice a little hard. “Everyone else disappeared, you had your date. So I decided to go home--Would you please put on some clothes!?”

Cisco thrusted three button downs at her. “Yes, but which ones?” he implored helplessly. “How much rodeo is too much rodeo?”

“I thought the date was at Jitters.” 

Cisco sat on her bed to pull on Ralph’s lasso to loop around his belt. He stared at big long boots. They were three sizes too big. “It is,” he said. “But in order for this date to go well, I need to look like I work on a farm.” 

“Why?” Caitlin asked, annoyed.

“Because I don’t wanna die alone!” He explained, as if it were obvious. “And I don’t know if you noticed this, Caitlin, but my love life? Yeah, that track record? It’s been pretty _ bad.” _

“You’re telling _ me _ that?” Caitlin deadpanned. 

“Well yes,” he said, wrestling a checkered button down over his head to save time. He was going to be late. “You know better than anyone.” 

“You don’t have to be anyone but yourself,” Caitlin yelled, flinging the Book Of Ralph to the ground. “You don’t need this.” She gestured wildly at his getup, yanking off his cowboy hat. “You don’t _ need _ that.”

Cisco stepped back, properly scolded. 

“But Kamilla’s ex-boyfriend—”

“Is her ex-boyfriend for a reason.” 

“Caitlin, why do you always have to approve who I’m with and how I date?” The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could process he was saying them. She stopped, taken aback. 

“I don’t do that.” 

“Caitlin,” he laughed, “yes, you do. Name one instance when you didn’t make clear what you thought about who I was dating?”

“I… Well… You’re my friend! Of course I should have an opinion. I want what’s best for you,” she shrugged exasperatedly.

“Barry doesn’t care about who I date,” he shot back.

“Well he should—”

“And come to think of it, you never cared who Barry dated,” he supplied. “When you weren’t too busy making goo-goo eyes at Jay, that is,” he said, picking at yet another shirt he was about to change into, before his brain caught up to his words.

The second of silence before she responded was long enough for him to hear his pulse pick up. “Wait—”

“Excuse me?”

“Caitlin, that came out wrong—”

“Well, I do apologize for having a concerned bone in my body, Mr. Ramon. Date whomever you want! And yes, you’re right. I bet you won’t pick a serial killer who will kidnap you. Not like me, right?” 

“Caitlin, you know that’s not what I meant.” 

“I know,” she said, staring at the mattress, despite her prickly tone. “But I still stand by what I said.” 

Ouch. She didn’t talk over him much, much less get this snappy. 

“Fine then,” he answered, clouding his hurt expression over with feigned annoyance.

“Fine!”

Well, if that’s the way she wanted to play it-- “I tell you what, I’ll get out of your hair.” He started collecting the pile of clothes he’d brought with him, the flannel he’d been trying on only partially buttoned, and the abandoned Book of Ralph. “I’ll figure this out by myself.”

He turned and started walking away, not bothering to spare her a glance. “I’ll have a wonderful time on my date—” He barely caught a shirt that fell off the top of his pile. 

“You do that,” Caitlin sniffed. 

He was almost out of her bedroom door. “And tell you _ all _about it later tonight!—”

She called his name, and it sounded low and needy, full of want. He spun on his heel, arching a brow expectantly, but Caitlin said nothing, no. She said nothing, but she got this look in her eye and this confidence in her step as she strode over to him like a woman on a mission.

Something in his stomach swooped when she licked her lips, and then she’s grabbing his shoulders, pulling him towards her so that his chest collides against her soft body, the pile of clothes forgotten, falling at his feet. Cisco grunts, disoriented, but then can’t say anything at all, his noise swallowed up by Caitlin’s mouth. The kiss comes as a giant shock. He stood stuck in the middle of the hall as she trembled, pouring her entire soul into it. 

She stepped back, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand, avoiding his gaze, and mumbled an apology to the floor. 

“Um,” he said.

Her head snapped up, tears at the corner of her eyes. “I don’t know why I did that.”

“Caitlin—”

“You should leave, Cisco.”

_ “But Caitlin_—”

“_ Go,” _she emphasised, leaving Cisco terribly confused as he backed out of her bedroom.

She shut the door.

~.~

They’re both not there when Sherloque dies. 

~.~ 

Something’s not right. 

Something’s not right. 

Something’s not right. 

_ “Sorry I’m late.” _

_ ~.~ _

Cisco laughed a bit while Kamilla finished telling him one of her work stories.

“So yeah,” she grinned, then looked down at his drink. “Hey, did you want to get some creamer in that?” she said, gesturing to his dark brew.

“Nah, I don’t like creamer,” he replied, just now noticing. “Caitlin does, though,” he finished as an afterthought.

It was true, he liked his sugar and she liked her creamer. It all worked out because they both loved—

Cisco gasped._ “Caitlin kissed me!” _

Kamilla started. “....Who’s Caitlin?” 

He knocked over his cup, accidentally spilling the coffee as he hastily made his way out the door. “I have to go!” he called over his shoulder, remembering he sort of just left Kamilla hanging. 

“The men in this city,” one of the barista’s muttered as he smacked right into the door, forgetting he had to pull, not push. 

Her coworker rolled her eyes. “Tell me about it.” 

_ ~.~ _

“Have you seen Caitlin?” Cisco nearly shouted, making a mad dash to the Med Bay. She wasn’t there. He breached into the Speed Lab. The Pipeline. The lounge, in a hurry. 

He checked the Cortex last, which come to think of it should’ve been the second place to look. 

His breach disappeared behind him as he bumped into Ralph. “Dibs!” he cried, frazzled. “Have you seen Caitlin?” 

“No? She went home. Why do you need her? Wait, I thought you were with Kamilla! You’re not wearing the scuba gear. I warned you that—”

“She kissed me!” Cisco interrupted, tripping over his words, downright frazzled. 

Ralph clapped his hands. “Kamilla!?” 

“No, _ Caitlin!” _he corrected. He zipped open another breach. 

“Huh.” Ralph frowned to himself. “When did she find the time to do _ that?” _

But Cisco was already gone. 

~.~ 

“You kissed me!”

Caitlin put down her book slowly. “I beg your pardon?” She didn’t even question his impromptu visit. Simply brushed her hair to the side, so she could quirk an eyebrow in his direction from her angle. 

He did not appreciate this coy thing she was doing. It wasn’t funny. 

Cisco took a step forward, stressing each word so there’d be no mistake. He wasn’t in the mood for games, right now. He was trying to wrap his head around what was happening here. “You. Kissed. Me. Today. Like, an hour ago. Right here. Why?” 

“What? No!” Caitlin denied, colour coming to her cheeks. “What are you talking about, you weren’t here. You were on your date.” 

Cisco lifted up a finger to argue, but found himself fuzzy with the details. Because, yes, he technically was on his date. Supposed to have been, anyway. But he remembered very distinctly, arguing about clothes right here before he got the smooch. 

Caitlin chewed on her bottom lip, seeming to catch on that he was a bit discombobulated, and tried to suggest kindly, “Maybe it was just a dream.”

Is she seriously pretending not to remember? It couldn’t be a dream. He had those dreams all the time, they never felt so vivid. Why would Cisco just randomly dream about Caitlin laying one on him while he was having his very nice date with Kamilla? This was real. He remembered everything about it, down to the taste of her lips. 

“No! It wasn’t!” Why would she_ kiss _ him if she wouldn’t a _ dmit _to it? 

“Why would I kiss you?” she pressed. 

Cisco balked. “Well, I don’t know! That’s what_ I’m _ asking!” 

Caitlin’s phone beeped, and their conversation was completely interrupted. She silently asked if she could look at who texted. Cisco’s mouth tightened in a firm, annoyed line after sighing. 

Caitlin inhaled sharply after picking it up. “It’s Iris. She wants me to meet her at the office.” Cisco had to admit that was a little weird. 

Cisco opened a breach there without saying a word. Caitlin brought her big purse, then they hopped through it. 

“Maybe it was a different Earth. You vibed it.” Caitlin picked up the conversation as soon as they hit the street outside the office building. 

Cisco shook his head. 

Caitlin seemed rather keen on coming up with alternate scenarios, stammering a little in her haste to throw out ideas. “Maybe it was an alternate timeline, where all of our personalities were altered and it was reset like Flashpoint!”

Cisco considered that one. But. “...No.”

She beckoned him over to sit on the bench in the lobby. She reached over and took his hand, sensing how troubled he felt. “Cisco,” she said gently. “Your powers have been going a little awry lately. I did not kiss you.”

“You think I’m making this _ up_?” 

“Of course not,” she placated. She said it so empathetically, and it made this worse. Cisco felt like a scolded child. 

Caitlin made a sound like she wanted to say something else, then stopped. “I believe that you think it happened. But Cisco, I did not kiss you. Trust me, I would remember.”

Cisco sighed. Then tensed again. Something about her phrasing. They made their way up the elevator in an awkward silence. 

“...Did you want me to?” She bit her lip, looking aside. Then glanced back at him, nervously. The elevator music playing almost swallowed up her words. Almost. 

Cisco’s hand dropped to his side, his mouth gone slack. “—I.”

“Never mind,” Caitlin said quietly. “Weird question.” 

“Wait,” Cisco went. “No no. I heard that. Why would you ask?”

“You’re the one all worked up about it,” she deflected, stepping out of the elevator. 

“Only because you kissed me after sabotaging my date!” he retorted, following after her. 

Caitlin looked horrified. “What?! I told Frost to leave that alone, there’s no way I wouldn’t rememb—” she covered her mouth with her hand, apparently saying too much.

“Wait,” he blinked. “You knew she wanted to sabotage my date? ...Did you want her to sabotage my date?”

“Cisco! I would never—“

He stumbled suddenly, bumping into the wall. Cisco cried out in pain, clutching at his head. 

“Are you okay?!” 

_ “No,” _ he bit out. Nothing about this last day had been remotely _ okay. _

Something was very very screwy with this entire situation. Cisco shouldn’t have nearly tripped over his two feet. He tried to straighten up, but he felt lightheaded. He flailed a hand out for support, and found Caitlin’s bare arm. She rushed to steady him, full of concern. She tried to talk to him again, now using her Doctor Tone, but she twisted sideways, and then the world tilted blue. 

The vibes. The timelines. Cicada. He remembered everything. 

He snapped his gaze back to Caitlin when he came back to himself, reeling with disbelief. 

“There’s something _ wrong,_” he whispered. “I think we’re in danger.” 

Caitlin was holding him up now, leading him towards Iris’ door. He resisted, afraid of what would be in there, and instead sank to the floor. 

She knelt in front of him, somehow now with a stethoscope and saturation monitor she had dug from her bag, hovering over him. She pressed one hand against his knee as she tried to listen to his heart rate, no longer truly listening to him. 

But Cisco glanced up at the clock in the corporate hallway, realizing his time was running out before someone would die.

Or, if the patterns were accurate. Two would. Cisco pushed the chestpiece down. 

He had to try it. 

Caitlin glanced up, scared for him. 

“I’m not okay,” he said. “But I’m not sick.” 

“You nearly collapsed,” she protested, voice thick with worry. 

Cisco shushed her, and leaned forward, sliding his hands up her neck to cup her face. “Just trust me on this,” he whispered. 

Nothing about this made any sense. Yet, it did. 

Caitlin dropped the saturation monitor to her carpeted floor. Her eyes closed like she _ wanted _his kiss. 

And _ oh. _

Cisco couldn’t help his smile. Couldn’t deny the fervor to his hunt to find Caitlin and demand about her kiss wasn’t because it came out of left field. Wasn’t because it was odd. 

Couldn’t have been, when it made his heart flutter like this. 

Iris’ door creaked open, and they heard muffled screaming. 

They jerked apart. 

The tell-tale rattle of Cicada’s breathing stole the breath from their lungs. Caitlin disappeared, turning into Killer Frost. 

“Well,” Cicada said. “That was easy.” 

Cisco looked down at the blood seeping through his shirt.

_ ~.~ _

Cisco perused the menu for Jitters, as if he didn’t already know what he’d get. 

“What are your opinions on The Flash?” he asked her distractedly, wondering whether he wanted a vanilla shot in his or not. 

Kamilla shrugged. “That’s a weird question to start a date. I like him fine, I guess. He saves the city.” 

Cisco looked up, biting back a laugh. “Oh no. I meant the drink here at Jitters.” He pointed to the sign promoting it on the wall. 

Kamilla reddened. “Oh!” She shifted in her seat, embarrassed. “I like it, yeah. Decaf. Sorry, oh my god.” 

Cisco winked, and went to order. “Nah, it was cute,” he reassured, then got his favourite barista to make their drinks. 

The cafe was mostly empty. It was late, dark. But it made a good atmosphere for a casual date. Which was what this was. A casual date. Nothing serious, nothing life altering. Probably not his future love of his life, or a hot fling either. No, something in between. Cisco was just stepping his toes back into the dating water, and was going to go slow, work at it carefully. He was not going to get his heart all tangled up and he was not going to mess this up by being weird either. He wanted some normal. No Star Labs. No superheroing. No metahuman nonsense. 

Cisco had realized that’s what was plaguing him all along. The lack of normal in his love life. He could count the amount of ridiculousness on one hand. 

It all started back with Melinda Torres, really. The girl he was infatuated with in middle school who ended up dating his brother because she was told Cisco wanted to be a celibate priest. 

Then, Lisa Snart, the misunderstood vain villainess who Cisco had admittedly given a little too much of his time to.

Kendra, his first serious girlfriend in his adult life, just a run of the mill resurrected _ actual _egyptian priestess, soulmated to another reincarnated dude.

And of course, Cynthia Reynolds. His ex from thirty earths away with his same powers that he used to be madly in love with. The one who just may be his gender-swapped doppelganger (or used to be _ involved _ with his Vibe doppelganger??) but was too afraid to ever have that properly confirmed. 

  
There was also his pipe dream. Caitlin. 

His mind drifted to her for a moment as he tapped his fingers against the counter. He shook his head and it dissolved. That one was just never a good idea. He knew better now. 

But Cisco found his thoughts finding their way to Caitlin more and more during this date with Kamilla. He internally frowned at himself for being this way. Why couldn’t he just turn that part of himself off? Why did he always have to go there? Why couldn’t he enjoy his date with Kamilla and just leave it all alone? 

And _ why _ was she arguing so loudly? Where was this all coming from? 

He jumped when he thought he heard a loud door slam.

Kamilla gave him a funny face. “Are you good?” 

“Did you hear something?” he questioned. 

“...No?” 

“No?”

Kamilla shook her head slowly. “That’s why I drink decaf.” 

Cisco gave a half laugh. Maybe that was a snide jab at him or maybe that was how Kamilla flirted, either way as spooky as it was, it was kind of funny.

He returned to their talk, putting his chin in the palm of his hand. “What were you thinking about the position of shadows in five o’clock lighting?” 

He tried to focus on the task at hand, drinking coffee and making small chat with Kamilla and her photography while ignoring the yelling going on in his head. It went well for the next couple of minutes as they talked about the importance of good lighting when the doors to Jitters banged open. 

The remaining customers turned to the source of the sound, murmuring at the disturbance. 

Something twisted in Cisco’s stomach as he felt a familiar chill. 

Kamilla’s eyes widened. “Is that Killer Frost?” 

Cisco suppressed a groan. “...Yes.” 

Killer Frost strolled in wearing her leather jacket and boots, the makeshift combo she’d been wearing since throwing out her old villain ensemble. He had gifted them to Caitlin begrudgingly before they had to defeat DeVoe, back when she was using the ice shooters. Cisco wished he had more time to put effort into her clothes. There was no character in the black outfit, not even a trace of her favourite shade of blue like her old studded jacket she used to wear before it got water damage. 

Cisco frowned to himself as Killer Frost made her way to the queue, smirking when she caught his eye.

The longer he watched her, the more annoyed he was about the fact she was here. 

He should’ve known. He should’ve guessed she’d be coming. Considering what happened last time and that stunt she pulled with the reservations and the wine. 

_ Wait a minute. _

Where did that come from? Killer Frost had never ruined his date with Kamilla. This their first time going out. Ever. Obviously. 

He let out a nervous chuckle, no longer entirely sure. _Of course,_ _obviously. _He’d remember if he had a date with Kamilla before. That kind of thing is a bit impossible to be unsure of. 

_ Ooooookay, Cisco. You might be losing it, just a tad. _

It was because he was so paranoid about this going smoothly. That had to be it. He made the mistake of thinking about all his bizarre dating experiences and now he’s trapped in those types of thoughts. He just needed to cool down. 

Cisco hid his nervousness about his state of mind behind a giant sip of his drink.

It’s not fair to fault Killer Frost with something she’d never done. Did he really think so badly of her? It felt awful, knowing part of her was Caitlin. 

Cisco tried his best to restart his conversation with Kamilla, distracting her from Killer Frost at the counter, but she was far too interested to see what Central City’s reformed hero felt like ordering. 

“What do you want?” the barista asked carefully, eyeing her hands. Killer Frost was entitled to order a coffee. Cisco had to give her that, no matter how uncomfortable she made them with her threatening stance. She really could’ve toned it down on the fear factor. 

“No trouble,” she replied unnaturally sweetly. Which meant that she intended the opposite. Yes. Trouble. Lots of trouble. "Just one of your specialty drinks. I’ve had yet to try them.”

“Oh!” the barista untensed and gave her a shaky smile. “The Killer Frost ice cap? Yeah, coming right up!”

“Nooooo…” she drawled, chancing a sideglance at Cisco’s table. He couldn’t do anything here. Not as Cisco. Not with Kamilla right in front of him. Why was she doing this? Caitlin knew he had a date here. Hell, she was the one who insisted on him to go!

“I’m in the mood for a Vibe frappuccino.” 

“...We don’t have that.”

Killer Frost raised an eyebrow, displeased. “No? Then I’ll take a Vibe latte.” 

“That’s not on the menu either.” 

“Oh? Then I’ll take any Vibe drink you have.” 

Cisco’s eyes widened._ What was she doing!? _

“...We don’t have a drink named after Vibe.” 

Killer Frost slammed her hand against the counter, spreading cracking ice over the surface. “Why the hell not?!” 

Cisco gaped. Kamilla yelped, splashing her drink onto her yellow blouse. 

“Vibe was my _ partner_, and he had been saving the city for nearly just as long as The Flash, and died for it! What you’ve done is the most blatant act of disrespect.” Killer Frost ripped down the poster of The Cicada from the stand by the window, screaming the house down. “And yet you have the _ audacity _ to create a drink named after his murderer!? Where is your manager?” 

The barista blinked, looking properly terrorized, and yet, had the gall to state, “I’m the manager.” 

“Go to hell,” she spat. She turned to their table. The one Cisco and Kamilla were sitting at. “You shouldn’t give them your business.”

But Killer Frost was looking directly at Cisco, with a kind of blazing fury he’d never seen in from her. He’s not used to that. Oh, he’s seen her angry. He’s seen her unimpressed. Her unnatural purple stained lips curled up in a sneer. But she doesn’t do passion, she doesn’t usually do feelings at all. 

So what was this?

_ “It’s like you want to get rid of me!” _He heard Caitlin blurt. 

“No I don’t!” he burst out loud, angry. 

Kamilla blinked. “Excuse me?” 

Cisco froze, realizing he’d flubbed. He rubbed at his temples, they’ve been throbbing since he’d gotten here, and his patience for tolerating a migraine right now was running thin. “I’m sorry,” he began, though he was quickly interrupted--_ I’m sorry I’m late. I’m sorry I’m late. I’m sorry I’m late. I’m sorry I’m late. I’m sorry I’m late. I’m sorry I’m late. I’m sorry I’m late. I’m sorry. _

It was like a mantra in his mind. Like a choir in a giant chamberoom, all with his voice. 

What was _ happening _ to him? 

“—Cisco?” 

Even Killer Frost looked concerned. 

He spooked, staggering off his high stool. Flashes of everything started returning: Flashes of sour dates, embarrassment, Caitlin, Cecile, Kamilla, their _fight,_ and Cicada and death and Iris dead and everyone dead and _Nora._

_ Nora. _

Cisco had only felt this way twice in his entire life. 

The first time he came face to face with the livid imagery of his own murder, of when he stood frozen as his eyes trained on the hand ripping through his ribcage, shredding his heart. The one that belonged to the man he had once considered family, who had once taught him like a son. The way that image stuck in his head for days on end, for weeks, months even. Ruining his sleep. 

And then, more recently. Three hours ago, now. Or was it five? When he was called from Jitters to the alert signal on his phone, and vibed to the location just in time to get stabbed in the back. 

He remembered it now, the way he gasped. 

The life drained from his body until he was crumpled in a heap on the ground, his vision gone, nothing but black and pain as Caitlin screamed over him. 

Just like with Thawne, to have these memories were absurd. Cisco shouldn’t be alive. 

It hit him all at once... The common thread between those instances. How she was no where to be found everytime something like that happened.

Nora was altering the timeline. 

He glanced back at Kamilla, regretful for this choice of words. He frowned even as he said them. “I...Have to….” 

“Go?” Kamilla finished. She picked at her nails, unimpressed. “Yeah. I could tell.” 

“Raincheck?” he tried with a grimace. He asked more to be polite. He wasn’t sure he was in the mood to do this a 24th time. 

“No.” 

Cisco sighed. If he didn’t make it on time, he might be getting one anyway. 

“Cisco—” Killer Frost called. “Wait!” 

He did not wait. 

~.~ 

By all the luck in the multiverse, she was still at Star Labs. Cisco made a beeline for Nora, his fists clenched at his sides.

“Baby Flash,” he greeted, popping up in front of her, pulling Nora by the collar of her XS Jacket. She tried to zip past him. He tightened his hold. “We need to talk.” 

“—But—Cisco—My mom! She just left for her office again, I have to get her back, you don’t understand!” 

She tried to shake Cisco’s grasp off from her using her speed, but he had come prepared, wrestling her still with a warning blast energy from his hands. He didn’t want to hurt her, not at all, but he needed something to stun her quiet so she’d stop her panicking and_ listen. _

“You need to tell me what’s going on,” he told her.

Her eyes shifted, shrinking. “—Look, just let me handle it. Go on your date with Kamilla.” She stopped and glanced at her watch. “Wait. Why aren’t you on your date with Kamilla?” 

Cisco grit his teeth. “Because every time I try to _ date _ her, I’m thrown into multiple versions of reality where me or my friends get stabbed to death by _ Cicada_.” 

Her mouth opened with shock, a faint noise emitting from it. “—You?” 

“How many times,” he interrupted sternly. 

Nora avoided his gaze, rubbing her sleeve with her gloved hand. 

_ “Nora. _How many times!?” 

“Thirty-two.” 

Cisco let her go numbly, the number bouncing around in big fat lettering inside his brain. He sat down on the steps of the Speed Lab with a thud, swearing under his breath. He buried his hands in his hair, planting his face into his knees, trying to process. 

Nora began to unravel, pacing around and gesturing like her father. “I tried everything. I try everything! I get mom out of the office, but then it’s Sherloque. If I don’t let Ralph help you with the date then it’s him. If you are with Caitlin, chances are you both die! Oh, and Mama Cecile.” 

She blanched when she mentioned her grandmother’s name, groaning into her hands. “Oh my god. I forgot about Mama Cecile. Cicada probably already has her!” She looked like she was about to bolt. 

“Hey, hey hey!” Cisco warned, waving her back. “Not so fast.” 

“Not so fast?!? Didn’t you hear? Cicada is going to—” 

“Take your grandma hostage to draw us out and then strike for the kill. Yes, I know.” 

Nora paused. “So we have to go save her.” 

“Yes,” Cisco agreed. “But not without _ strategy. _Take a seat," he said.

She looked down the hall, where Caitlin and Ralph were talking about something. Cisco swallowed, glancing aside at the sound of her voice. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to confront her yet. 

Nora squared her shoulders. “This is my mess._ I _have to fix this.” 

He rolled his eyes. This sounded so familiar, it wasn’t even funny. 

“I’m your dad’s best friend,” he began slowly.

“I know—“ Nora cut off, irritated. “He’d never screw up like this. I know.”

“Hey-- Miss Groundhog Day-- Don’t interrupt my important lecture. I was going to say, he screws up like this_ all the time. _And somehow, he always makes things worse when he keeps it a secret.” 

He laughed without humour, remembering all too well. He stood up and offered her his hand to pull her up too. “In fact, the more he tries to fix a cosmic timelined disaster himself, the more he screws up.” 

She took it hesitantly and wiped the frustrated tears from the corners of her eyes.

“What are we?” he told her. 

“A bunch of miserable idiots?” Nora mumbled. 

“_ No_. Well. _ Yes. _ But irrelevant to my point. What are we?” He pointed at the Star Labs crew necks hanging on the coat hanger. 

“...Team Flash?” 

Cisco nodded, snapping his finger at her correct answer. “_Team _Flash. As in, as long as this day drags on forever, we’re going to fix this as a team.” 

Nora seemed unsure. “Like, just me and you? Because I tried that, like, fifteen times.” 

Okay, he did not know that. Still, Cisco blinked at her, unfazed. “And did I know what was happening, or was I just jumping in like a crazed lunatic?” 

She didn’t reply. 

“Uh huh.” 

“I thought you said you remember everything?” she accused. 

“...No,” Cisco said. “No, obviously not thirty-two consecutive hours. But a lot of bits and pieces. Important parts, I think. Like Frost sabotaging dates and our fights. And then the deaths. Also the cowboy hat?” 

Cisco’s eyes widened at that one. Holy crap. Caitlin had_ kissed _him. 

Nora looked very lost. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

Cisco was then struck with an idea. “Look, as long as you can get me to settle things with Caitlin before we get to the—“

“--This has nothing to do with _ Caitlin._”

Cisco narrowed his eyes. Yes, it did. All that fighting and weird conversations and every time reality came crashing down on Cisco about his feelings for her, the timeline restarted. He’d seen the movies. Groundhog day plots are always fixed by resolving that one persistent issue plaguing the main protagonist. And that was Caitlin, and clearly his feelings about her. 

How could that not be somewhat linked to this madness? 

“How do you know?” 

Nora spluttered, looking around. “It’s like I said. I screw up. And somebody dies. That’s a Nora West-Allen mistake. Remember my superhero name is literally named after…” 

High heel clicks echoed from around the hall. Cisco nearly jumped out of his skin. 

“She can’t see me,” he hissed, pushing Nora into a breach that took them to the opposite hall across from the cortex. 

“What? Why!” 

He hopped from one foot to the other, anxious. “For many reasons that I don’t have the energy to explain!” 

Nora tilted her head at him like a puppy. “—Okay?” 

Cisco grabbed her shoulders, remembering the plan that came to him moments ago. “I need your notebook.” 

Her eyes widened. “My notebook? Why?” 

This girl had so many questions. 

“Because you said when you got here, that the language you write it in transcends Speed Force timeline hoopla!” 

“What!?”

“It’s immalleable, right? Doesn’t change. Won’t change. Will never change?” 

“...That’s right.” Her eyes shifted to study a piece of wall decor. Almost like she wanted this conversation to be over. 

“Nora. Focus. Bring me the notebook. Write me a note.” 

Something enlightened in that mini Flash brain of hers, brightening up when she followed his line of thought. “Oh! _ Oh.” _

He sighed out with relief, glad she was getting it. He motioned for her to go, circling his hand in a circle for her to get a move on. “Yeah?”

“Yes!” 

His hair rustled in the wind from her take off. He blinked and she was back. 

“I can’t find it!” she cried. He opened his mouth to say something and she was gone again. 

He harrumphed. 

Nora returned again, panicked. “I just ran around Star Labs fifteen times. I lost it!” Her face grew ashen and she stepped back, mumbling with her hand pressed to her cheek. “I lost it.” 

Cisco thought long and hard. It wasn’t hard to guess where it would be, if not the lounge. Was now the time to explain a certain Quebecois doppelganger had been snooping around her stuff? He really didn’t want to get into any of that business. 

He bit his lip, getting another wave of timeline memories. Cicada striking Caitlin as Frost down with a knife. 

Yes. It was. 

“I’m willing to bet it’s locked in Sherloque’s drawer.” 

Nora was gone again, back with her notebook. “How did you know!?”

He’d have to save the explanation for later. Cisco gave her grabby hands, but she clutched it to her chest instead, reluctant to let it go. 

“Nora. Give me the book.”

“Why? You can’t even read the symbols. I’ll just do it.” 

He shot her a warning look, and she withered. Her gulp was audible, and he had to forcefully pull the thing out of her grasp, even after she gave him the okay. 

He flipped through the odd symbols, not able to read a word. Cisco remembered the effort he spent trying to decode Barry’s gibberish from the walls back when he reemerged from the Speed Force. It had taken him hours to decipher_ ‘This house is bitchin’’ _ there was simply no time for that. 

“What about this?” Nora suggested, leafing the booklet until she landed on one with their photographs. Cisco picked it up, momentarily stunned that a picture like this made its way into Nora’s journal.

“I…” His voice was thick in his throat. He cleared it. “This will do.” He quickly grabbed a pen and jotted down his note to himself, tucking it back inside Nora’s book before she could see what he wrote.

“If we don’t succeed right now, take this to me in the past immediately. Got it?”

Nora nodded, gulping. “So now what do we do?”

“Well first, we have to—” 

“Guys!” Iris interrupted, running in from the Cortex. “It’s Cecile.”

Nora panicked, and they shared a look. “We’re out of time,” she whispered. “We have to try and save her,” she pleaded.

“You guys stay here, Nora and I will take care of it.” He grabbed Nora’s arm before she zoomed away. “Wait for me there and _ be careful,”_ he said, and with that, she left.

Cisco swapped his jackets, grabbed his goggles and threw open a breach before any of the other team members could show up and put themselves in danger.

~.~

“Cicada!” Cisco could hear Nora talking from the other side of the door to the roof, while he lay in wait to surprise their foe. He would only get one shot at this, seeing how his powers would be ineffective if he got too close to the dagger. Baby flash was putting a lot of trust in him that he would show up like he said he would.

“You don’t have to do this!”

“Yes, I do,” he rasped. 

Cisco chose that moment to breach out, and he shot open a breach that should have saved Cecile’s life, but the dagger moved faster than should have been possible. Either that or his powers were only moving at half the potential they could have. 

This wasn’t gonna work.

The horror dawned on him right as out of nowhere, Ralph came barreling through with one of his interpolators. 

“We told you to stay put!” Nora screamed, hysterical as Ralph’s body stretched over Cecile’s back. The dagger lodged through his back and he crumpled to the floor. 

Cecile muffled a scream, thrashing against her binds as Cicada flew up into the sky, taking the dagger with him. They were going to lose Ralph. Cisco rushed to untie Cecile with shaky fingers. 

“—What the—” she screamed, dropping to Ralph. She checked his pulse. “He’s fading away. Ralph! Why did you _ do _that?” She asked through her tears, though with her powers she probably already knew.

“I didn’t want….” Ralph’s voice trailed off. It looked like his body was trying to fight the stab wound, but couldn’t quite do it with the power dampening delay. “...Jenna not to have a mom.” 

Cecile wailed. “We’re going to lose him!” 

“I know,” Cisco cut off curtly. It must have come off unkind and snappish. Cecile bristled at his tone. 

“Well get Caitlin!” 

“_We can’t.” _He remembered Barry's words... What he'd said before he went back into the speedforce the first time. 

Nora was crying as Cisco refused to look at his dying friend, instead focusing on saving their future. 

_They're gonna look to you, now._

He mouthed at Nora to go run back in time. 

She hesitated and ripped off her mask. “Uncle Cisco,” she cried. “I can’t take it anymore. I can’t-—I can’t—I need my dad!” She began to panic, vibrating in place. 

His heart melted a little bit. _ Uncle Cisco. _

He was her _ Uncle Cisco? _

He took both her hands, squeezing them between his own. “_Nora_, we’re going to fix this. Just remember to give me the book, Niña. I'm gonna help you.” 

She hiccuped, looking too worn already from what she’d been through. 

“You can do this,” he said, taking off his goggles too to look steadily into her eyes. He knew she could. “_We_ can do this.” 

He gripped her shoulder while she took some steadying breaths and nodded, zipping away as Ceclie announced that Ralph was gone.

~.~ 

_ Cisco, wait! _

_ I’m sorry, I’m so sorry _

_ Did you want her to sabotage my date? _

_ Cicada! Don’t do this! _

_ Something’s not right. _

_ Something’s not right. _

_ I’m sorry. _

_ Cisco. _

~.~ 

Ralph opened his book. “Chapter One: Initial Planning.” 

Cisco rolled his eyes, “Initial planning? It’s a first date Sun Tzu—not an incursion.” 

Nora ran into the Cortex just as Iris begged off to write an article instead of saving Cisco from The Book of Ralph. Some friend she was. 

“Trust me grasshopper, love is war, but, fine, if you want to skip to chapter 6—” 

“Actually!” Nora cut in, sounding breathless. “Cisco, you should take _ my _book.” She thrust her coveted hieroglyphics into his hands. 

Cisco stared at it. “What am I supposed to do with this?” 

Nora opened it, flipping through the pages until she landed on one with glossy photos of her parents and...Himself with Caitlin. Huh. He clucked his tongue at it. Why did it look like it had just been hastily shoved into the plastic film? 

Nora beat him to it, pulling that vey picture out of the sleeve. “I need you to read this in private, but then come find me in the lounge.”

Ralph pouted. “What’s she got that I don’t?”

Caitlin made a funny face, walking away, disinterested in what they were doing. “I think I’ll go finish up on that device for the cure.” 

Cisco watched her go, a dissatisfied look on his features. But his eyes were drawn back to the picture. He had forgotten they’d even taken this. Cisco returned the book to its rightful owner. “This book is resistant to flux in timelines, right?” He asked, still studying the photo.

“...Yeah,” she said, stopping before she walked away. “Just read it and get back to me as soon as you can.” 

Cisco locked himself up in his workshop. Flipping the picture, he was surprised to find his own handwriting. 

He placed it under his lamp, checking the authenticity. He rubbed his finger over the ink, it smudged on his fingers. 

It was written recently. 

It read as follows:

1\. Yes. You wrote this. You, Cisco Ramon. You ate cheerios for breakfast this morning and listened to Alessia Cara on the radio while tinkering on Barry’s newest prototype suit. This note is about a matter of life or death. Mostly death.

2\. If you haven’t gotten to your date with Kamilla yet, DON’T. CANCEL. IF YOU ARE THERE, LEAVE.

3\. Just accept the fact you have some feelings for Caitlin. I need you to do this before we continue.

4\. You’re going to feel like you had drugs for lunch. You ain’t trippin’, just having a Really Long Day. Everything you start to remember happened. Yes. Everything. Only...you’re the only one who knows. 

5\. Clearly things aren’t working. Ask Nora to explain everything...to you, then to everyone. 

Cisco stared at the note. “What the hell.”

Nora chose that moment to creep back into the room, timidly enquiring what he wrote to himself.

_ Oh, _ she _ was _Barry’s daughter, every inch.

He sighed.

“What did you do to the timeline, Niña?”

“‘Niña’? You’ve haven’t called me that… Yet. Not in this version of time, anyway.” She still looked sad, like she was bearing the weight of something heavy.

“What happened, Nora?” He asked again, patient but firm.

She looked like she was on the verge of tears. “...I messed up?”

Cisco waved the picture at her. “Yes, that part is clear.”

“I might have...reset some timelines…”

“How many?”

“A lot.”

“Nora,” he warned. Whatever the number was, he was sure he could--

“52.”

Cisco tried to keep his eyes from bugging out of his skull. “Fifty-two!?” 

“I know!” she snapped. “I know and every time I _ say _ that you yell at me!” 

He felt woozy, finding a seat quickly and running his hands through his hair. No wonder he suddenly felt bone-tired over the last 20 minutes. He felt an off taste of déjà vu ever since Ralph walked in with his big stupid book. 

“Oh my god, okay. Give me a moment. I won’t yell.” 

He was probably tired from a lot more than he knew about currently. His thoughts drifted to that bombshell he left himself about Caitlin… One more deep breath.

“Alright kiddo, from the top.”

Nora quickly filled him in on everything she knew currently, including his failed attempt at helping her the last few times.

“And I take it we’re still the _ only _ ones that know.” 

“Yes,” she nodded. “Last time, you added something into the last point and underlined. You told me to tell you.” 

Cisco glanced at the note. “It says to tell everyone.” He sid-eyed her. “You really never tried that yet?”

“Well not at first! But then _ you _ were the one who told me not to!” 

Cisco frowned. Oh that was weird. There had to have been a very specific reason for that. His eyes lingered on #3.

“Okay,” he sighed. “Let’s round everyone up in the Cortex.”

“...But, XS,” he stopped her just before they walked out. “Do I want to know about this part?” Gesturing to what he was sure would become the antithesis of the way he wanted this night to go.

“I’m not supposed to tell you, Uncle Cisco.”

“Figures,” he said, shaking his head.

He followed her down the hall. He stopped.

Uncle Cisco. Huh. They must’ve bonded a lot today. 

~.~

He ran into Caitlin on his way down.

“Hey,” she said warmly. “I thought you had a date.”

Cisco flashed her his phone. “I canceled.”

“Oh!” she said. “Why?”

Because his past self from multiple erased timelines in the future told him to. 

Cisco shrugged. “It didn’t feel right. I don’t know if I’m ready to date so casually.” 

Something knotted behind Caitlin’s expression. “I see.” She waved a white medical device. “Well, I made your injector.”

His mouth softened at that. He knew how much she didn’t care for the cure, but here she was, taking up so much time to make it for him. He never told her outright that he had private plans to take it himself when it was ready, but he had the subtle feeling she already had her suspicions. 

The truth was, he wasn’t sure he needed it so desperately anymore. For Cicada, sure, and other metas with dangerous powers.

But where would Nora be if Vibe wasn’t in the picture today? 

Who would help her? Who would be there? 

The very fact that he _ hadn’t _ been around to help Caitlin finish the cure, _ might _ be the reason he was still looking at her. Or _ any _member of the team right now.

It might also be the same reason why he couldn’t bear to work on it while being around them, spending hours alone in the Tundra instead of being with his family, who he knew once taking it, he’d have to leave behind. 

And to think, Cisco was supposed to be on a date while she made progress on the thing that would give him an easy way out. Something he even suggested for her, to get rid of Frost. 

Cisco’s vision flickered in front of his eyes, a vibe greeting his senses. 

They were in her living room, Cisco and Caitlin. Arguing terribly about this. 

Multiple times.

Doors slamming, her telling him to leave. Him, lying to her about almost everything. 

He remembered the note, and a chill went down his spine. These had all happened within erased moments in time. 

_ “It’s like you want to get rid of me!” _

No, his heart shrivelled up inside. Never.

“Caitlin!” 

Cisco called her name with an urgency he didn’t know he had, grasping onto her fingers as she tried to turn to the Cortex for her Med Bay, tugging her to twirl around and stumble towards him. She was quiet. But he didn’t want quiet, he wanted her sighing and gasping. And then she was, when he cupped her face in his palms and crashed his lips onto hers as she clung to him, shaking like a leaf.

He didn’t want to let her go. Not now that he’s tasted her, not now that he has this. Her arms snaked around his neck, and she turned her cheek against his, whimpering under her breath. 

“Cisco,” she said, and it was exhaled like his very name had the power to release all the remaining fight left in her body. 

It all made sense now. 

He closed his eyes, stroking her hair with his wandering hands when the inexplicable fear hit him. It prickled behind his eyes, climbed up his throat. 

“Can we stay here just a few minutes longer?” 

Caitlin nodded, wiping away his spilling tear with the edge of her thumb. “Are you okay?”

Cisco shuddered and wrestled with his answer. How does he tell her he is but she isn’t? How does he explain the twisting terror in his stomach? Or the flashes of images in his mind? How can he say he’s anything but at peace, the most in right he’d felt in his entire life right here with her? How can he dare suit her up, fasten Caitlin into her Frost jacket, and let her fight against the serial killer, knowing the fate planned against them? 

“No.” 

Caitlin was concerned. Her eyebrows pulled together, her pink, wet lips he’d just kissed to death twisting into a frown. He was crying in earnest now, his vision of her swimming in blurry double. 

“Can we just stay here?” he repeated. He’d begged for it, really, sounding ugly and raw. Please. _ Please._

“We don’t have anywhere to go,” she replied with a confused laugh, at a loss. But that wasn’t true. Nora would be calling them all into the Cortex in a manner of moments. 

Caitlin brushed back his hair, tucking it behind his ears so she could see him better, but they both knew it was just an excuse to touch him. 

Cisco crushed her to him again, their foreheads touching in the dimly lit hallway, overwrought with emotion. 

~.~

Nora eventually rounded everyone up in the cortex, waiting to hear what all the fuss had been about when she’d desperately begged them all to stay in the lab this evening.

“Guys,” she began, “I have something that I have to tell you.”

She recounted a familiar story to Cisco, the more that she continued. What he didn’t know, however, was that the first one to die tonight and kick off this whole shabang had been _ Caitlin. _Well, Frost. It didn’t matter. His heart seized anyway. 

Nora was already teary-eyed. “I tried to stop it,” she breathed, “I tried everything. No matter what I did all night, one or all of you just kept dying.” She broke then, giving in to her tears while her mother and Cecile rested comforting arms around her.

“This is one of those fixed points in time the Legends theorized about, isn’t it?” Caitlin said with a shaky exhale. “I was the one meant to die.”

Cisco turned to her, alarmed. “No! That’s not true.”

“Well one of us does,” Ralph piped up unhelpfully. He whistled. “Fifty-two. Jeez Louise.” 

“We need to get Monsieur Allen,” Sherloque said. 

“We tried that,” Cisco and Nora said at the same time. They looked at each other. 

“There’s something wrong with me. I can’t tap into the Speed Force.”

“Not even with Cisco’s powers?” Iris frowned. “He got me there once.”

“No,” Nora stressed. “I told you, something is wrong with me.”

Sherloque pursed his lips, eyeing her notebook tucked away under her arm. Cisco glared. 

“So we just wait here until Barry gets back,” Iris said. 

“No! If we do that then he takes Cecile.” 

Cisco put his two cents in. “I’ve been vibing the moment over and over. The only thing we haven’t tried was working cohesively. Right?”

Nora nodded. “Right.”

“Well, why haven’t you?” Caitlin asked gently. 

Nora hesitated, catching Cisco’s eye. “There’s been some...internal...Team Flash issues…”

“Between who?” Cecile asked, brows furrowed. 

Nora pointed sheepishly at Cisco and Caitlin. 

Cisco received the stern mom glare from across the room, double time.

“Us?” Caitlin reddened. “Why?”

Cisco turned to her gently. “Caitlin. You know why...Or maybe you don’t...remember...all of it. But I’m just as much to blame for it.” 

Five simultaneous heads tilted, trying to follow what he was saying.

Caitlin gasped, realization dawning. She buried her head in her hands. “Oh don’t tell me…”

Cisco chuckled awkwardly. 

“...Because of your date?” she finished meekly. 

Nora cut in there. “I have a confession to make.” 

Sherloque leaned in. “Oui?”

“I sort of...screwed up...something else?”

This was news to Cisco.

“According to the Flash museum...Vibe and Frost were supposed to be..._ partners _ by now. When I came here and I met Cisco and Caitlin, I thought it was just more schrap that the museum made up that was wrong. But after _ today, _I’m not too sure anymore.”

“I think if I hadn’t come here, you two would have been together already. by now.”

Cisco reached for Caitlin’s hand, only to bump into her flexing fingers, doing the same. 

Iris sighed. “Barry is going to be very disappointed that he missed this.” 

“Excuse moi,” Sherloque said, raising his voice. “Do we not have a serial killer lurking around trying to slaughter for the fifty-fifth time?” 

“Fifty-third,” everyone muttered in one way or form over the next few seconds, much to Sherloque’s chagrin, effectively shut him up. Iris put a comforting hand around her daughter.

~.~

Believe it or not, taking down Cicada was an effortless job, when they all did their part _ where _ they were supposed to _ when _ they were told with no distractions in the way. Cisco breached and blasted with Frost by his side.

“Ugh,” she groaned, whipping up two mock daggers in ice just to be extra. ”Peace and quiet from Caitlin. Finally.”

She even threw one to Cisco for him to use. He stared at it in wonder for a half-second. There was no way denying that this was a gift. He grinned up at her as they worked with Ralph and Nora, catching Cicada off guard. 

“Thanks,” he said as they neared each other again, in between shots.

“You’re welcome, Vibe. Glad to see you back.”

They slapped Cisco’s good old meta cuffs around Cicada’s wrists. 

Cisco chuckled in disbelief. He hadn’t realized she missed him.

~.~

Barry jumped back into the Cortex a while later, surprised to find everyone just lounging around. They even ordered _ pizza_.

“Hey guys!” He said excitedly, “The cure is finished! Now we can track down Cicada.” He grinned like this was the best news in the world.

“He’s in the pipeline,” Iris said boredly, flipping a page of her Essence magazine. She looked up at his gaping expression. “You want pizza?”

He spun around, trying and failing to comprehend the information. “Yeah, sure babe. Where’s Sherloque!?”

“He went back home,” Caitlin smiled, leaning in to kiss Cisco. 

“—And Grace?” he tried, doing his best not to stammer at that sight. 

“She woke up,” Cecile informed. “And is in stable condition. We’re just waiting for you so Cisco and Caitlin can start testing their cure before administering it to them.” 

Barry did a double-take. “Wasn’t I only gone an _ hour?” _

“Actually,” Cisco piped around his bite of pizza, “You were gone 54 hours.”

“Two whole days!?” He ran for the computer. “But it’s still Tuesday!”

“I gotchu bud,” Ralph dusted pizza dust off on his pants, stretching an arm to wheel over the whiteboard. “You see, there’s this phenomenon called the space-time continuum, and as a speedster, you and Nora have this crazy ability that enables you to run back in time—“ Ralph started to draw lines on the board. 

Everyone groaned.

Nora had to help keep her father from falling down. He looked down at her, surprised and relieved. “Oh!” he said as he hugged her, “at least you’re still here. But I think we’re going to need to have a chat.”

Nora laughed, too happy to care about getting lectured. She handed him a whole box. 

“For me?” She nodded, chipper, sitting him down.

Barry dug in, as she hovered nervously above him. He quirked an eyebrow when she didn’t go away. “....Yes?”

“What would you say if I told you I know where the Reverse Flash is?”

Cisco and Barry alike began to choke on their food. Iris sat up scandalized. _ “Nora.” _

**Author's Note:**

> This fic involves some semi-graphic character deaths.
> 
> Other authors notes:
> 
> This fic was so fun, ya'll. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 
> 
> Thanks tkv! Also, how did you end up writing a fix-it fic? Lol that's impressive. --Paint


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